A Vegetarian Pyramid (developed by New York Medical College, adapted from the Food Guide pyramid) is geared toward vegetarians and helps them plan a healthy diet. See Table 1 for serving size.
| Table 1: Daily food guide for vegetarians. Below are suggested daily servings from each of the food groups in theVegetarian Pyramid. | ||
| Food group | Suggested Daily Servings | Serving Sizes |
|---|---|---|
| Grains | 6-11 servings | 1 slice bread; 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta; 1/2 bagel or English muffin; 6" tortilla |
| Vegetable | 3+ servings | 1/2 cup cooked, chopped or raw vegetables; 1 cup raw leafy vegetables; 3/4 cup vegetable juice |
| Fruit | 2-4 servings | 1 medium piece of fruit; 1/2 cup canned, chopped, or cooked fruit; 3/4 cup fruit juice |
| Milk and milk substitutes | 2-4 servings | 1 cup of milk or yogurt; 1 cup calcium and B12 fortified soy milk; 1 1/2 oz. hard cheese; 1 1/2 oz. calcium and B12 fortified soy cheese |
| Meat and fish substitutes | 2-3 servings | 1 cup cooked dry beans, peas, or lentils; 2 eggs; 8 oz. bean curd or tofu; 1/2 cup shelled nuts; 3-4 Tbsp peanut butter |
| Vegans* | 1 serving daily | 3-5 tsp vegetable oil + 1 Tbsp blackstrap molasses + 1 Tbsp brewer's yeast |
| *This group at the tip of the pyramid is for vegans who do not consume fortified products. The vegetable oil is for calories and essential fatty acid; the molasses for iron and calcium; and the yeast for B-vitamins, especially riboflavin. Fortified brewers yeast has B12. | ||